To reset their perception, and even make them fall in love with their work again, ask them a simple question: “What would you do without this job?” (A great time to do this would be during their semiannual “stay conversation.”)

The question can evoke all kinds of responses and emotions… like the fear of being unable to pay the rent/mortgage or being at home alone, feverishly applying for jobs online or not being able to go out with friends because you’re counting every penny. In short, no matter what their personal response, all of a sudden, that person is now grateful to be gainfully employed.

Need a great speaker for your next meeting? Give me a call; let’s talk!

Need a great speaker for your next meeting? Give me a call; let’s talk!

Praise and recognition are essential to successful management. People want to be respected and valued by others for their contributions. Everyone feels the need to be recognized as an individual or member of a group and to feel a sense of achievement for work well done — or even for a valiant effort. A “pat on the back” costs nothing, promotes employee retention, and makes both the giver and the receiver feel great.

Here are five ways to maximize the bang you get for your employee recognition buck…

Make it fun and/or funny: I love to give people a stuffed Beanie Baby eagle or turkey. (Both get a great response and it’s amazing how long they will keep them on their desk or pass them on to their coworkers.)

Make it simple: It always amazes me what a gold star will get you. Just try putting one on an employee’s badge. Everyone wants a gold star.

Make it personal: Forget the company key chain or hat; make sure it’s something they want or need.

Make it timely: Do it as soon as you can after they do something great.

Make it specific: Tell the person exactly what behavior or results they are being rewarded for so they keep it up and so your other employees know what you find praiseworthy and what behaviors they should strive to emulate.

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The following snapshot is a close approximation of the results I get when I ask my convention and corporate training audiences: “How structured is your approach to recruiting, screening, and hiring new employees?”

10%

Very, we have clearly defined steps and procedures for each step in the selection process

40%

Kind of, we generally follow a repeatable hiring process

45%

Not very, our hiring process is a bit random

5%

Not at all, we never hire the same way twice

Of course, the weaker, more loosey-goosey the structure, the weaker the results. Why is this so often the case when better interviewing and hiring is a repeatable process with predictable results?

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Want to keep your top talent happily engaged and on board for the long term? Want to inspire all your employees to reach their full potential? It’s easy! All you have to do is show ’em that you care. The above is another simple question you can ask several of your employees this week. You’ll get some great information and your people will feel respected and valued. Win-win!

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Delineate the guidelines or hallmarks of what distinguishes high potential employees (HiPos) so you can identify these traits in your team members. Signs of high potential may include a cooperative nature, strategic vision, and motivational capability. Make a list of these criteria so you can systematically identify and groom them for leadership positions.

Need a great speaker for your next meeting? Give me a call; let’s talk!

Want to keep your top talent happily engaged and on board for the long term? Want to inspire all your employees to reach their full potential? It’s easy! All you have to do is show ’em that you care. The above is another simple question you can ask several of your employees this week. You’ll get some great information and your people will feel respected and valued. Win-win!

Need a great speaker for your next meeting? Give me a call; let’s talk!

Many employers make the mistake of confusing high performance with high potential. Both are important and, oh, so nice to have, but high performance is what most often gets noticed. As a result, signs of high performance often overshadow the indicators of high potential. Make an effort to distinguish between performance and potential and recognize the two serve different roles and need to be managed and mentored accordingly.

Need a great speaker for your next meeting? Give me a call; let’s talk!

Want to keep your top talent happily engaged and on board for the long term? Want to inspire all your employees to reach their full potential? It’s easy! All you have to do is show ’em that you care. The above is another simple question you can ask several of your employees this week. You’ll get some great information and your people will feel respected and valued. Win-win!

Need a great speaker for your next meeting? Give me a call; let’s talk!